In today's world and beyond, it is becoming desirable to remain in contact with a pre-defined group of people at all times. For example, a family with members dispersed throughout the country—or around the world—desires to remain in contact with one another. Business associates, often traveling around different locations (or working from home), need to communicate with each other and often need to communicate as a “group” sharing information in the form of voice, data and/or video.
Various voice/text communication arrangements exist that utilize a wireless network architecture to provide voice communication between a pre-defined group of people, referred to as a “closed user group” or CUG. In these arrangements, a database in the network defines the members of a particular closed group by a user ID. Associated with each user ID may be set of “permissions” in terms of types of calls permitted or denied. The ability to “broadcast” a voice message to all users may be part of one such system. Text messaging, in real time, between various members or a closed “group” has also evolved over the Internet in the form of “instant messaging” or IM.
In all of these arrangements, as well as others prevalent in the prior art, an individual must either be at a fixed location where his/her communication device is located, or actively using a mobile device. Limitations exist in terms of the type of information that can be exchanged, as well as in the ability/inability to reach group members that may not necessarily be “plugged in” at that time.
Therefore, in today's world of desiring to remain in constant contact with certain people, a need remains for an improved, multimedia-capable arrangement for maintaining contact between members of a pre-defined group.